For years I've been drawn to the Amish and their lifestyle. I think mostly I admire their simplicity, and what we english might term their "old fashioned ways". I love the simplicity of their farmhouses, the impeccibly kept gardens, the orderliness of their clotheslines, their seemingly tireless work ethic, and my all-time favorite: the clip-clop of the horses hooves on the roadside.
My husband used to say I'd be Amish if I could be, but honestly, I'm not so sure...
...living off-grid entices me in many ways, yet "when push comes to shove", I'm a big baby!
Take tonight, for example. While doing barn chores today, our trusted milk machine got rammed by the wheel barrow and a very important piece was knocked off. We will be unable to order a replacement part until Monday, so until it comes in the mail, we are milking by hand. Okay, the twins are milking by hand. This doubles their chore time, and not only that, but when they are gone, I will have to milk! You cannot imagine how long it takes me to milk by hand (since I rarely do it), and not having the milk machine has only increased our appreciation for it. And electricity.
Example number two: making butter. We were given a beautiful butter churn and the first couple of batches were fabulous. Then the motor died. I decided that was okay, because in reality, the churn does it's thing for quite awhile before producing the lovely butter...and being the daughter of an engineer, I knew we were using quite a bit of electricity in the process which seemed contrary to our life of "simplicity". So I've been trying my blender, (which technically is much faster), but what a bust! I just can't get it past that whipped margarine stage, and I'm about ready to give up until my churn is repaired. There is no way I could churn this by hand...
So all of this really means nothing, except that I tend to romanticize things and once I get in the middle of it, reality often looks different than what I envisioned. It usually involves more commitment, more work, more time, and more energy. So a big HUZZAH! to the simple life, to homesteading and living off -grid. And a big HUZZAH! for my electricity...for now. Some day I'd like to be able to do without...
21 comments:
I want to start by saying how much I love your new blogger background and header!
Next, I can't tell you how much I laughed as I read your post!!! WHY did I laugh?? WELL.... because you sounded JUST like me!!!! Kelsey and I were here reading and she was saying "That's YOU Mom"!!! I too have always loved to read about and dream about the Amish way of life. I also enjoyed milking our ONE goat by hand....for about a week, and then it got cold and I called for my lovely daughter who seems to be the REAL farmer and lover of milking, who gladly stepped in.I have always been a bit of a dreamer, visionary, and a bit on the idealistic side. I love simplicity, I love hard work, I love self-sufficiency, on and on, until I have to do it alone, or for too long, or when it is bitter cold. Those dear Amish really are amazing people. I don't want to necessarily be Amish, but I certainly admire their work ethic and ability to live simply. I think my problem is the same as many of us living here in the United States. We are spoiled! We have so much in the way of modern technology and have used it so long, it is sooo hard to break free! Keep up the great work of teaching those precious children and young adults of yours! You are giving them something so much more than money can buy!
God Bless you.
I pray that some day we'll meet and have some tea and exchange stories!:)Thank you for sharing so honstly and you are so funny!
Blessings!
Lydia
I totally get that post! I used to think that I could live like the Amish - at least in lifestyle (their doctrine is a little strange)... anyway! I've decided that I much prefer modern conveniences. Electricity gives us so much more time to play. :) ha! Did I just say that? Really though, if we had to work as hard as they did in the olden days - with all the modern day stresses (that they didn't use to have), we'd be a mess! Can you imagine?
So, I'm with you - there is a certain charm and beauty in simplicity, and I keep things as simple as possible (and am always trying to simplify more). BUT, I AM grateful for the things that do make life easier too.
Hope you get your milking equip. working soon! You'll have some sore hands if not! Been there done that. We never did have milking machines, but we did only have 2 goats (and Kyle did most of the milking).
Well, I guess I better head off to bed.
Love ya.
Lynnette
Your little ones can actually make the butter for you. Put the milk/cream into a jar and seal it nice and tight. Hand it off to a little one to start shaking and shaking...and shaking. When one gets tired, give it to the next one. It takes about 10-20 minutes, and mostly it's just a lot of liquid sloshing around, but all of a sudden a clump is formed. The butter has separated from the liquid. Here's a web site I found that tells how to do it. When I did this with my kids, we used a heavy whipping cream, just like on this site: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Butter-and-Buttermilk/
Great activity for kids. I also used children to make ice cream! Take two coffee cans, one large and one small. Put your cream, sugar, and other ingredients into the small can. Seal it very well. Place it inside the large can with ice and salt in the space between the two cans. Again, seal this tightly. Now have two children sit on each end of the kitchen and have them start rolling the can back and forth. They can work on eye-hand coordination, and when you're done, enjoy the ice cream. Yum!
Hahaha... I know what you mean, Mrs. Regan! I always think it would be so neat to live a simpler life - to do things the old-fashioned way. But when I start to think about it more, the idea seems a little less appealing. It would be a *complete* lifestyle change, especially from what I'm used to! I am really quite a baby too... I don't know how I would manage going without electricity. I mean, really... no electricity?! I don't think I could do it. :D
Anyway..... have a blessed Sunday!!
~ Much Love,
Lindsay <3
I am right there with you. I love to read and learn about the Amish and Mennonite lifestyle, but I'm not sure I would do very well living it out!
Thank you for your honesty. It's true how we can watch the Amish and dream of such a life, and could probably never do it. We recently visited a town just south of us which was beautiful and very very well kept - all because it was full of Amish. They add beauty to the world no doubt.
A friend visited me last week and, while looking at our beautiful country view, exclaimed "that's it! We're moving to the country". Then I warned her not to stand too close to that rock pile as there's always snakes in there. She screamed and jumped into her truck and said "maybe the country isn't for me". ;o)
Sunday blessings to you, I loved this post and found myself in your desires to live a more simple life like the Amish-I too have always been fascinated by their peaceful life. But, like your family, they work hard from sunup to sundown-something I'm definitely not used to. Thank you for sharing-I love reading your posts.
Hugs, Noreen
Ditto Here!! We had a part break on our machine Friday night and I was sweating it!!! Thankfully my husband found a part early Saturday morning and all is well! My hands CANNOT take then hand milking. He does the milking when he is home, but it is up to me to head it up when he is gone.
I use my food processor to make butter. And I have to admit. We use WAY LESS butter now that I make it. I never appreciated it before.
I very much appreciate our Amish friends, but I'm such a baby compared to them!!!
So, all romance aside. I love our electricity!!! Til I get the bill, that is....
Blessings!!
Linda
The Amish live all around us. We love shopping at their stores as they are very friendly and their prices are the lowest around. Plus they "get" wanting to buy huge amounts of flour or using herbs for medicinal reasons.
It all does sound very romantic though doesn't it, living off in the country with children running here and there, blissfully playing in the grass. But I know better. Snakes, poison oak/ivy, wild animals, just to name a few :-0
But one thing I do know, it would be completely wonderful to live in the country next to YOU :-)
~Cinnamon
We are off-grid (not hooked to the power company just like the Amish) but here I'll help burst your bubble and not be so frustrated :-) The Amish (and us) live without electricity but we/they do not live without power. Many of them have generators as we do and just have power from a different source :-) See it's not as romantic as you thought is it? As for the butter in the blender - I use my Vita Mix blender EVERY day to make butter and it turns out wonderful. After it gets creamy and whipped you will have to clean the sides of the blender about 3 times and then run it and then clean and so on. When the blender changes it's sound and the butter sits on the blades and the milk just kind of swishes - it's done. On one more note - my daughter Hannah and your daughter are friends on their blogs and she showed me your blog. It's wonderful and I can't wait to get to know you better!!
My dear friend,
I used to also romanticized living off-the grid and trying to live like the Amish.
Then I realized, than living simply just means appreciating what you have more without yearning for something that you do not have.
I have learned to Praise Our Lord for the gift of electricity. Because it is HIS gift to us. Yes, we might try to forgo being without it for a bit...but if it is not what HE has for you and your family...don't worry.
Instead, rejoice in the fact, that you know how to make real butter, and that you are still able to milk by hand if it is needed :)
I so enjoyed this post dear friend.
May Our Lord bless you & keep you,
Maria
I have always dreamed of living like the Amish too - such a wonderfully simple way way of life!
I've never gone without electricity (except when the power is down) but sometimes we turn the power off and use candles for a short time... That's fun... but all the time? If I was honest with myself I would have to say it would probably get frustrating - at least at first... But I do think after a time we would adapt and live differently and even enjoy it. A lot of the chaos and busyness of my day comes from wasting time online (just think, if we got rid of that, what wonderful things could we fill the time with instead?!!) and spending perhaps a little TOO much time in bed or on things that are pure entertainment/wasteful. If I were to knuckle down, I know I could make better use of my time and fit in the extra things like hand-milking a cow (if I had a cow to start with - it's my dream to get one sometime!!)... Maybe I am just a dreamer still... LOL!
I suppose if we had to...we could pull it off. But I'm happy we don't have to. Our dishwasher broke a few months back, and it added so much work-time to our day, and it really did take away from some things the kids and I were doing together that were fun (like read aloud after lunch).
I know, you're probably thinking...dishwasher??? But I'm more along the lines of simple means cutting back on bills, not eating fast food, and turning the cable off. Not impressive, I know. But I LOVE your blog, and you are right, it all sounds so wonderful, but hard work!
Have a great week!
~Kathi
Well we're all pretty much the same, aren't we?
Kathi,
I get the dishwasher...ours is also out of commission, and I feel like I wash dishes and milk jars ALL DAY LONG!
Wow, thanks for sharing!! It is amazing how many things you realize are so nice about living "in the grid" per say. :)
If you would like, I would suggest just shaking the better in a jar. Well, actually, you shake the cream to make it into butter... ;) lol Any way, we don't get a LOT of cream off of our cow, so it is enough to put into a jar and just shake. Then rinse, etc. Just make sure you leave plenty of shaking room. It goes much faster that way. And it is something the little ones can do. Sit em down and have them shake. my younger brother loves helping me make butter. :)
However, if you get lots of cream, this could take a long time. :)
I love the Amish, too, though I have never gotten to see them up close. Maybe someday!
In Christ Alone,
Sarah
It is so nice to see I'm not the only one who loves the Amish and their lifestyle. As a child I grew up around the Amish and Mennonites and actually attended a 4 room schoolhouse which was Mennonite. We lived in a actual village and the general store was Mennonite owned. My family moved west (Oregon)people that hear my story say how wonderful that must have been and it should be something every child experiences. There are days I yearn to be back there and be a child and so which I had raised my children very simply from the very start but can't go back just forward. One day a couple of summers ago we had no shower (remodeling), washer broke and we have no dishwasher (never have), my husband looked at me and said now is your chance to be semi Amish! HAHA He does have a few though of pulling up after work and there will be no car but a horse and buggy in the driveway! So even though we can't be Amish per say it never hurts to live a simple live and have your goals and life turned to God. Have a great day!
Yes~I too think I want to be Amish. I would however die with air conditioning! I could maybe get by with wood heat but I love my AC!
You have a wonderful evening.
Thank you for praying for Zack!
I'm another one who craves a simple lifestyle if only in my mind! My body says otherwise! There's a reason that so many farmers went to bed when the sun went down and got up right before it came up! They were exhausted!
I use my blender all the time for butter. Hang in there, it will get past that stage!! I find that I do need to turn it off a few times and scrape and poke at the contents. That seems to do the trick.
You make me laugh!!! I am with you. I have always loved the Simplicity of their life as well. Allen has also said to me that we both would enjoy the Amish way of life. But when it comes down to it, just being without water here in the house for a week has me wondering if this is true. Blessings Catherine
Before we got our electric churn we would fill a mason jar half way with cream and hand them to the little ones!! They LOVED playing with them and making their own butter:)
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